Key-locking device for type-writing machines



(No ModeL) I W. s. BIGELOW. KEY LOCKING DEVICE FOR TYPE WRITINGMACHINES. No. 550,473.

Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

Fay-1.

W/ TNE SSE S ATTORNEYS.

'NITED STATES .ATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM S. BIGELOIV, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

KEY-LOCKING DEVICE FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,473, dated November26, 1895. Application filed November 28, 1893. Serial No. 49?,316. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. BIGELOW, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedLocking Device for Type-Writer Keys, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in attachments for type-writerkeys. It is well known that in most type-writers upper-case or figureprinting is effected by depressing a certain key, and the depression ofthe key throws the machine into position for printing upper-case lettersor figures, as the case may be, and after such printing is finished thekey is released, so as to throw the machine into the normal position.

The object of my invention is to produce an extremely simple attachmentby which the key when depressed will be held down, and which also isadapted by the most natural and easy movement of the hand and finger tobe released when desired.

To these ends my invention consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a typewriter key locked down by myimproved locking device. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of a modified form ofthe device; and Fig. 3 is a perspective View illustrating anothermodification of the locking device, but with the key in releasedposition.

The type-writer key is of the usual swinging kind and represents theupper-case key of a type-writer. It is provided with a staple 11, towhich one of the type-writer actuatingwires may be connected in theusual way, although any other suitable connection may be made with thekey. The key is provided at its free end with the usual finger-piece 12,

which, as shown in Fig. 1, ismarked upper case, but if'the key is usedas a figure-key it is appropriately marked.

I have not shown the connections between the key and the type-rods andshifting mechanism, because different mechanisms are employed to shiftthe type by the movement of a depressible swinging key, and my inventiondoes not relate to the details of such construction. 1

Beneath the key and in the path of the outer edge of the finger-piece 12is a spring 13, having a base-flange 14, by which it may be secured toaconvenient support, and having at its upper end a notch or head 15,with a shoulder to engage the top of the fingerpiece, and with aninclined face next the finger-piece which causes the depression of thefinger-piece to swing the head outward, and when the fingerpiece passesbeneath the head the latter springs inward and engages and locks thefinger-piece and key. The

' spring-catch thus formed may be released by the most natural and easymovement of the hand, the finger being made to swing against the upperend of the catch so as to release the same. I

When the key is to be released, it is struck in the usual way, but thefinger is raised with a slight wiping or drawing motion, so as torelease it from its fastening by the pressure of the finger on theprotruding tip of the spring, and when the catch is released the keysprings upward to normal position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Instead of fastening the key directly to the head 15 of thespring-catch, the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 may be used, where thefinger-piece is provided with parallel lugs 16, in which is pivoted adepending latch 17, having at its upper end an inclined tip 17 to bestruck by the finger, and at its lower end an inclined head 18, similarto the head 15, and the latch is pressed by a spring 19, secured to theunder side of the finger-piece, into engagement with the head 15, sothat when the finger-piece is depressed the head 18 will engage the head15 and the key will be held down. It may be released, as alreadydescribed, by causing the finger to touch the tip 17, which swings thehead 18 out of engagement with the head 15.

In Fig. 2 the modified form of the device shown is applied to a key 10,representing a figure-key and having its finger-piece markedaccordingly, and a curved catch-bar 20 is used to engage thefinger-piece, this bar being pivoted centrally, as shown at 21, on abracket 22, which has flanges or feet 23, by which it may be secured toa support. The catch-bar 20 is reduced at its free end to the thicknessof a spring and terminates in a head 24, like the head 15, which isadapted to engage the front edge of the fingenpiece, and the rear end ofthe catch-bar is curved upward, as shown at 25, so as to be in the pathof the finger-piece. \Vhen the latter is depressed, it strikes theup-turned end 25, and the head 2% is thus thrown into engagement withthe finger-piece, so as to lock the same. It will be seen that wherethis construction just described is used the bent-up portion of thecatch-bar must be thin enough to act as a spring, in order to allow forthe close and perfect adjustment of the parts.

It will be readily understood that the wipin g or drawing motion givento release the keys in the manner specified is done in the easiest andmost natural manner by the motion which, from the anatomicalconstruction of the human hand, is necessarily the easiest to make whenthe hand and finger are in the position they naturally take whenstrikinga key.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. The combination with the swingingkey of atypewriter, of an independent spring catch adapted to engage thefinger-piece of a key and hold the key depressed, the catch thenprojecting above thekey and being thus adapted to be disengaged and thuspermit the release of the key by a wiping or drawing movement of theoperators finger upon the key, as specified.

2. The combination, with the swingingkey of a typewriter, havingasuitable finger-piece at its free end, of an independent catch which isstruck by the key when depressed and engages the said finger piece, thecatch being adapted to release the key by a wiping or drawing movementupon the latter, substantially as specified.

\VILLIAM S. HGELOlV.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK H. JENKINS, HORACE D. CHAPIN.

